My name is Paula Jonsson and today I live in Stockholm. I did my bachelor’s in biology and my Master’s in Ecology and Sustainable Development at Linköping University (2016-2021).
Could you describe your overall experience in the master’s program of Ecology and Sustainable Development?
It was a great program! The first year I got a deep understanding of the scientific grounds of ecology and did my internship at The Swedish Hunting and Management Association. I was also able to go to Ecuador for three weeks during the class “Case studies in conservation and sustainable development”. During the second I did my thesis project about improved estimation of hunting harvest.
Could you tell us about your current job and your main responsibilities?
I work at the County administrative board (Länsstyrelsen) in Stockholm where I work with wildlife management. My main duties are management of the great cormorant, wolf, and lynx. This involves monitoring these species, permit reviewing and inform the public about wildlife. It also includes talking about wildlife in media och conferences.
How did your previous education help and support your current job?
For me, it was very important to have a job when I graduated. With the bachelor’s in biology with focus in ecology my knowledge was very broad. To compete with others, I realized that I needed to create a niche for myself. I always knew that I wanted to work with wildlife and population ecology. That’s why I took the opportunity to do my internship at The Swedish Hunting and Management Association, and my master thesis with focus on wildlife management and GIS. For me, this was perfect.
Which specific skills or knowledge gained from the master’s program; do you find most applicable in your daily work?
GIS, population ecology, ecological networks and especially how to present results in a simple and informative way.
Have you developed any social networks from your master’s program? And which types of social networks have been most helpful in your carrier?
Absolutely! Except for my master’s thesis and my internship, during the summer 2020 I worked at the university together with my supervisor for my master thesis, Tom Lindström, where I did a study on crop damages caused by wildlife. Both Tom and my supervisor at The Swedish Hunting and Management Association, Göran Bergqvist, where I did my internship, were my references when I applied to my current job.
What advice would you give to graduates of this program?
My best advice to give is to make these two years your own. Other than that, all the teachers at the master’s program are eager for you to do well after the program. If you are an ambitious person and you want to learn and do well after the program is over, the teachers will help you! Also, you will meet great classmates, and a tip is to work closely together and help each other out.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I don’t think that I can say this enough but that the teachers at the program are excellent!